AUTHOR: Tisienne Blue
E-MAIL: tisatko@msn.com
DISCLAIMER: I am only playing in Joss' backyard... and he doesn't know it...*yet*!!!
SPOILERS: for Angel, through 'Reunion', for Buffy... not much.
RATING: R-ish, I think...
PAIRINGS: Aus/W; S/B (but only in a really unpleasant way... for Slutty, I mean...)
DISTRIBUTION: Charity can have it if she wants... anyone with other fic of mine can have it, too. Otherwise, ask and receive a 'YES"!!!
FEEDBACK: is of the good... and gets you a dedication...
DEDICATIONS: To: Kim, Maxine, Kimberley, Vamp(ie???*G*), Runewolf, Gem, Ali, and Sabeth!!! You are all wonderful feedback goddesses!!!
NOTES: I wondered, after seeing 'Reunion', why Angel would be acting
so unlike his usual redemption-craving self, and this is what my warped
and twisted mind
came up with... it's my world now!!! Oh, and * *= emphasis...
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He woke slowly, feeling as though he'd lost something in the transition from sleep to wakeful-ness, and once his eyes were fully open, he realized that he *had*... the dream was over. None of it had actually happened... he hadn't earned his redemption, he wasn't human, and most importantly, he didn't have the right to call the redhead *his*... He shuddered, wrapping his arms around himself. It had all been a dream... His eyes closed in sorrow. It had felt so *real*... He stayed there, sitting up in his bed as he reminded himself of the reality. He was still a vampire... he was still working towards whatever goal the Powers dictated... and he was still in love with Willow. He sighed slightly, hearing the sounds of movement on the floor below him. He finally stood, gathering his clothes and re-donning them before heading towards the door to his room. He hoped that whichever one of his former employees was downstairs, was only there to retrieve whatever belongings they'd left behind the night before.
His footsteps on the stairs seemed unnaturally loud to him, and so he was surprised when his Seer didn't hear them. Of course, she was busy answering the phone, but still... He waited for her to hang up before he almost apologized... but then Willow's words echoed in his head. She was right... if he let the girl stay around, she'd become a target as well... He tried to ignore the little voice in the back of his head that was telling him that Cordelia would *always* be a target... always *had* been, and finally stepped forward. "What are you doing?" he said dangerously, "I thought I *fired* you!
The brunette laughed. "Oh, Angel," she said condescendingly, "I know you didn't really *mean* that!"
He grinned, as coldly as he could, and dragged her from her chair. "You'd best *believe* I meant it, bitch! But since you're *here*, why don't you clean out your desk?" He smirked. "And while you're at it, do Wesley's, too..." He grinned, completely unaware that the darkness had taken him exactly where he didn't want to be. "After all, you've been *fucking* him, haven't you?" He watched, unmoved, as the girl's eyes glittered brightly with unshed tears. "Didn't think I knew about that, did you?" he sneered, "The two of you thought that you were being oh so secretive. Well, guess what? I *did* know! I knew from the very beginning; I just never said anything." He stalked closer to the girl, his eyes lighting up happily when he caught the scent of fear rolling from her body in waves. "Why would I? I mean, the fired watcher and the failed actress... seems like a match made in *heaven* to me!"
The girl backed slowly away from her now former boss. There was something in his eyes, his attitude, his voice... She suddenly didn't trust him, and made a dash for the door, almost passing out from relief when she was finally standing out in the bright sunshine. "I don't know what your problem is, Angel," she said quietly, turning and staring at the spot where she *knew* he was standing, just inside the doors, "But know this. The minute... and I mean the *minute*!... I find out that people are 'disappearing' around you, I'll be back. And I'll stake you myself... Angelus."
The vampire laughed, honestly amused. "Yeah, sure, 'May Queen'..." he called out to her from the safety of the shadows, "But I'm not Angelus. Angelus would never have let you out of this building alive, and you know it!" He smirked to himself when she nodded involuntarily. "You may not know what my 'problem' is, Seer, but I know what *yours* is... and without getting too personal, I'm pretty sure that it starts and finishes in that tiny little lump of grey matter that you insist on calling your brain." He smiled more broadly at the fresh pain he saw in her eyes then. "Now go away. Go... run to your inept, inbred little boy toy. *I'll* pack up your things. Tell Wussy he can pick them up here tomorrow morning. And, oh!" he added as an afterthought, "I'm having the locks changed, so don't even bother trying your key again." He turned away, barely resisting the impulse to turn around and tell her what was really going on... but Willow was right when she said no one could know... his friends had to believe his act, too, or they might give him away by accident. Besides, he'd kind of... *enjoyed* it. Yes, he sighed to himself, Willow was right... Willow was *always* right. He changed direction suddenly and headed for his office. He had to tell the redhead what had just happened... maybe she'd have some idea of what he should do next.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Willow giggled to herself as she hung up the phone. Things were going just perfectly! The giggles became full-blown laughs as she remembered the conversation she'd just had with Angel, and she fell back on the bed, completely unable to hold herself upright any longer. She wished that she'd been there to see Cordelia's face! Finally, after a good ten minutes, her laughter died down, and she looked at the clock... if she didn't hurry, she'd be late for the Scooby meeting. She sighed, reaching into her closet and pulling out some suitably dumpy, and *fuzzy* clothes. She pulled them on quickly and ran down the stairs, stopping for a moment to speak the words. She waited impatiently as the air before her swirled a bit before finally coalescing into the shape of her poor dead friend Tara. "Come on." she said flatly, taking the temporary creation's hand, "We have a meeting to go to."
"Yes, Willow..." came the lack-luster voice, sounding just like that of her late girlfriend.
"And remember!" the redhead said sharply, "You're shy, so... *stutter*! And stop looking everyone in the eye, especially Anya! She's the only one who might recognize you for what you are, and I'm not ready for anyone to know yet!" She smirked, pulling harder on the 'girl's' arm. "Except for Spike, of course..." She laughed again for a minute, thinking what his reaction to this latest development might be.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Spike watched, amazed as always, as the shape of the redhead's 'girlfriend' disolved into the air. It wasn't surprising to him anymore that the bloody stupid group of Slayer's pets believed that the minor imp was really the blonde witch... He shuddered, the memory of the night's 'meeting' making his flesh crawl.
It had almost been hell on earth, what with Slutty constantly trying to get closer to him, even though they'd agreed to keep their little... relationship... a secret. She'd actually grabbed his ass one time when she'd come out of the kitchen, and the only thing that had stopped him from jumping away from her was the fact that she wasn't actually that bad of a fuck... or at least, she wasn't *now*. He grinned to himself, remembering the things they'd done the night before. The trashy little blonde wanted to be *wanted*, so badly... she was willing to literally do *anything* with him... or *for* him. He was suddenly pulled back from his thoughts by a small, warm hand rubbing against him through his now uncomfortably tight jeans. "What are you... pet..." he groaned, leaning back against the front door and meeting her eyes with his.
Willow smirked, turning away from him with a laugh for his warning growl. "Well, now that I have your *attention*..." she said wickedly, sitting on the couch and pulling her feet up under her, "Maybe you'd like to hear about the call I got from Angel earlier."
Spike sighed, wanting nothing more than to throw the little witch down on the floor and fuck her until she passed out... then fuck her some more, until she woke up again. Unfortunately, he couldn't do that, if for no other reason than the fact that she belonged to his Sire. Not the poofy, whiney bastard Angel, but Angelus! He knew that his Sire had always planned on taking the little redhead for his own, and if... no, *when* the girl succeeded in bringing him back, Angelus wouldn't hesitate to kill him in a hot minute if he thought that Spike had had the girl before *him*. Of course, Angelus *had* always been willing to *share*, so... The blond vampire grinned inwardly as he sat down beside the girl, and listened to her re-counting of the conversation. "No!" he finally interrupted her, "You didn't!"
The redhead smirked wickedly. "Yep! I asked if he hadn't always *wanted* to tell Cordelia off, and how it had felt to finally be able to do it, and he said it felt... *good*." She smiled, licking her lips to moisten them. "Actually, he said it felt "Fucking amazing', but I'm just a sweet and innocent girl... I don't *use* words like that!"
Spike laughed loudly. He loved this new Willow! "Fucking amazing... *Angel* said *fucking* *amazing*!"
Willow giggled in time with Spike's chuckles. "And you should have heard him when he realized what he'd just said, and who he'd said it to! I swear, I thought he was going to sprain something, he was apologizing so fast! Of course," she said, her eyes fixed firmly on Spike's, "I told him that he needed to fight that apologizing impulse... that that law firm isn't going to believe he's gone bad if he runs around saying 'shoot' and 'fudge'..."
The blond stared for a moment at the obviously self-satisfied witch. "One thing I don't get, luv... Why are you even happier about *this* than you were when he let those people die? I mean, cursing at Cordelia is hardly an earth-shattering event... or is it?" he said slyly, loving the calculating look in her eyes.
Willow sighed. "I'm happy because it was *Cordelia*! His *friend*! Leaving those people to Darla and Dru, well... that was *easy*, he just had to walk away. But hurting his friend, on purpose, by actively telling her what some part of him actually thinks of her... that had to be hard for him. But he did it, Spike!" She grinned. "He did it for *me*... because I *told* him to!"
"And that means... what, exactly? You now have someone to insult people on command?"
"No, Spike! It means that I can make him go against his soul's instincts! And *that* means..."
The blond nodded, finally understanding. "That means that my Sire... my *real* Sire... is much closer to the surface than anyone ever thought..." he mused, "And if Angel is willing to ignore his soul, in order to do your bidding..."
The little witch smiled happily, nodding once. "That's right, Spike... Goodbye, Angel, and Hello, Angelus!" She shivered slightly in anticipation. She'd been waiting for almost a year now... she'd have him soon.
"Yeah, well," Spike said, standing up, "Speaking of goodbyes..." He crossed the living room, heading towards the door. Stopping by the hall table, he picked up a large, thick, dull stake. "Y'mind if I borrow this, pet?" he asked, waving the piece of wood in the air. He grinned as she nodded, curiousity in her eyes. "Tonight," he said, opening the front door and stepping out onto the dark porch, "I'm going to introduce Slutty to the world of double-penetration..." He headed off down the street, her lilting laughter following him. "I wouldn't laugh too hard, pet," he murmured to himself as he headed for his crypt, and the Slayer he knew was waiting there, "After all, it's an introduction you'll be receiving, yourself... once my Sire's back, anyway..." He smirked a bit wickedly then. "And with any luck, there'll be a *Spike* involved... not a *stake*..."
End-- Pt 2
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